Prodigal Daughter
by happycamper2013
Summary: Near tragedy on Christmas Eve becomes a joyous event.


It's Christmas Eve, so I thought I'd provide a quick story appropriate for the season. :) ;)

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Prodigal Daughter

_How did it ever come to this?_

She kept asking herself that as she was stumbling in the snow of a Kansas winter while her body slowly shut down from the effects of hypothermia. Instead of of a life filled with hope and good cheer this Christmas Eve, the past year had proven to be such an utter horror that she was actually welcoming the oblivion the cold would bring. _Life had been so perfect once upon time and now everything about my life is a nightmare from which I can't escape. Except through this. This is the only way I can redeem all of my mistakes and finally find peace._

Tired beyond belief, she finally fell to the ground in the middle of a vast empty field. She felt safe for no one would not find her until the field was ready to be planted with the corn for which her small town has always been known. _I thought he loved me. But I was just a pawn...a token of his victory over his most hated rival. But he hid that and so many other things from me. He actually was happy when he knew I was going to bear his heir, but how quickly he shed that pretense of love when I lost the baby. Instead of support he mocked me and my lead role in punishing his enemy. No, I was only damaged goods to be discarded when I could no longer cause pain to my former love and he only laughed at me when I ran away from the mansion._

She was grateful there was no pain – only sleepiness and a vast sense of both relief and regret. "Clark," she called out, why wouldn't I listen to the warnings you and Chloe gave me." Softly, "So tired..."

_How did it ever come to this? It's only what I deserve. My time with Lex changed me. I think I always knew Lex was evil, but accepted his actions because of the comfort he provided. I was even happy that Lex was experimenting on the meteor freaks, and believed that they were only getting what they deserved. Whatever happened to the real me? The kind and innocent, small-town girl? Instead I became a harpy that rejected the kindness and care that all my former friends and loved ones tried to share with me. I pushed them away and now I'll die truly alone._

"Lana! I heard you calling..."

"Oh Clark. Even in my dreams you come to rescue me. I thought I was going to die alone, but now everything is perfect...Sorry, what did you say? So sleepy...Clark, why did you lie to me? Insist that you didn't love me? I was so angry that I decided if I couldn't have all of you then I wasn't going to let you have any of me. I thought I hated you so much, Clark, when I really only hated myself."

"It's all my fault, I was so stupid. I can never stop loving you."

"Please stop crying Clark. I was the one who left and did all those evil things. But I'll always love you, and I'm so happy that it's _you_ with me at the end."

_- - - -_

_Hmm, Christmas carols. So is this what heaven is like? Everything is so fuzzy, but something smells good, like turkey – yum. Maybe heaven won't be so bad. But what's that other smell? All around me, even in the pillow. Smells wonderful...like Clark?_

"Lana, are you awake?"

"Clark? Where am I; what am I doing here? I should be dead."

"You're in my room back at the farm. I found you last night, and brought you home." He grabbed her hand and started crying, "I'm so sorry."

"But how..." Lana began to question, but suddenly stopped. "Never mind, I don't care. All I need to know is that you've saved me once again, even though you must hate me by now."

"Lana, I have never stopped loving you. The past months have been torture, but it was my fault because I drove you away."

"So last night wasn't a dream?" Seeing Clark shake his head, Lana continued, "So I guess you know I still love you too. But Clark, so much has happened between us – things that you and I did to one another – that I'm not sure things can ever be the same again."

"I know that Lana," Clark told her, "but I almost lost you last night for good. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if you were gone. All I wanted was for you to be happy and ended up making a horrible mess of things. All I want is to have you in my life once more in _any_ capacity. There are so many things I need to tell you..."

"That can wait for later Clark. I guess I just need to know what happens now?"

"Well, as soon as you're ready, we have a bunch of people downstairs waiting to see you. Mom can't wait, and there's Chloe and her new boyfriend, and even Lois, of course. And then a big Christmas dinner!"

"Wait a minute Clark, are they really willing to see me? I thought by now that they'd all hate me for the way I've been acting."

Clark smiled down at Lana and softly squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Of course they want to see you. Like mom said, 'it's Christmas, and it's so wonderful to have **_all_** of the family back together again.'"

_-The End-_

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A very Merry Christmas to you all, and may you have visions of happy Clana dancing in your heads... ;)


End file.
